The Hunter
by LittleReporterGirl
Summary: Just a little oneshot,shouldnt be too long. In this fic, Jack meets a rather intriguing pirate captain of the female persuasion and does his best to woo her.
1. Chapter 1: The Meeting

**Author's Note: **I know this is a step out of my usual fandom of Harry Potter, but I've been watching a lot of pirate stuff lately, (since this year's Relay for Life theme is pirate-related and I'm getting really into it) and after watching Pirates of the Caribbean, I decided to try my hand at writing a little POTC oneshot. Doesn't have a specific time, but Jack is captain of the Pearl- so it could be before the mutiny or after the third movie, I haven't decided yet. Doesn't matter either way, it is purely for your (and my own) entertainment. Enjoy!

~LilReporterGirl

**Chapter 1- The Meeting**

It was early in the morning, only an hour or so before the sun was to rise. It was one of the darkest times of night, when the moon was starting to sink. It was even darker due to the clouds that drifted through the sky, causing shadows.

Tora, a woman of about 25, stood at the helm of the ship, one hand resting on the wheel, the other stroking the head of a magnificent Siberian tiger who was purring. The nighttime cool of the breeze coming off the sea made her pale cheeks cold. She was dressed in boys clothes- breeches and a shirt- as were many of the women on her ship. What made her different than the others was the captain's hat on her head. And the tiger, of course.

"Keep an eye to the East, Saida," Tora said to the tiger.

The crew was waiting silently for the signal. They were all waiting for the signal. Tora had sent three of the smallest and quickest of her crew out in a rowboat to stealthily board the ship that was seen on the horizon. Tora could see the ship but those aboard could not see Tora's ship, _The Raven_, as it was silhouetted against the rocks. The crew she sent out knew the routine well- board the ship one at a time, take out the scouts and anyone on deck, flash the signal, then sneak below and take out the canons.

Tora pulled out her telescope and scanned the ship. She could see Dawlish taking out the man in the crow's nest. Mari and James swiftly and silently took out the other men on deck, then Mari gave the signal- she lit a single candle she had carried aboard with her.

"Alright, let's go- bring in the anchor and move the ship in slowly," Tora said to her crew.

_The Raven _moved up alongside a ship called _The Resilient_ and Tora boarded the ship using a strong plank while some of the crew swung across on ropes. Saida followed Tora onto the ship. While her crew crawled throughout the ship, subduing its passengers and gathering treasure, Tora and Saida went straight to the captain's quarters. No one was there and Saida stood in the doorway, ensuring it would stay that way while Tora pillaged the room. She took the bloke's money purse and anything else useful from the room before she took what she came for- books. He had shelves of them. Tora didn't stop to look at any of them, just swept them into a bag, then left the room. Nathaniel, her first mate, called out to her.

"We've got the crew subdued in the brig, Captain," he told her.

"Thanks Nate," she said and, heaving the bag over her shoulder, headed down to the brigg, Saida walking a few steps in front of her.

Tora walked down to the belly of the ship where Mary had the ship's crew secured in the brig. She was twirling her pistol around, that manic look in her eye that she sometimes got.

"I've got it from here, Mary, get what you can from the rest of the ship and be sure to get the kitchen," Tora said as she and Saida came down the stairs.

"Yes, captain," Mary said and walked past her, careful to walk on the opposite side of Saida.

"A woman pirate? And a captain no less? What is this world coming to?" said one of the prisoners.

"Shut it," Tora snarled and Saida let out a terrifying roar at the cage that made the man who had spoken wet himself. Tora chuckled.

"Which one of you lot is the captain of this here vessel?" Tora asked. A man- not the one who had pissed himself- stepped forward.

"C-Captain Henry Porter," he said, his eyes cast to the floor in his shame at being overtaken by a female pirate.

"Henry," she began and his face turned an ugly shade of purple. "know that no unnecessary blood was shed here tonight. Little harm was done to your crew, compared to what it could have been, and your ship- she is quite a nice ship by the way- has not been damaged. I suggest that, after we leave, you make for the Port of Sangine for supplies."

"Captain!" called Dawlish, coming down the stairs. "There is another ship on the horizon and coming up fast!"

"What colors is she flying?"

"She isn't flying any colors, Captain," he replied.

"Great," muttered one of the captives. "More pirates."

"Come, Saida. Dawlish, you stay here and keep watch over them. Don't let them try anything…regrettable."

Up on deck, the sun was just peaking over the horizon, turning the sky an array of brilliant colors. A large ship with black sails, silhouetted against the sunrise, was coming up fast to pull alongside the starboard side of the_ Resilient_. Tora pulled out her telescope and scanned the ship. She recognized it from the tales.

The ship pulled alongside the _Resilient _and a plank was laid across the two ships. Her crew had their swords out, ready for a fight, as Tora faced the ship. Only one man crossed the plank, a pistol tucked into his belt, but he didn't seem to be looking for a fight.

"Well this looks fun," he said, stepping onto the boat.

"What's going on here? Jack Sparrow cannot find and hold up ships by himself?" Tora asked challengingly.

"What? Do I know you?" he asked, eyeing her curiously.

"No, but I have heard the tales of the _legendary _Jack Sparrow," she replied sardonically.

"That's _Captain_ Jack Sparrow, love. Where is your captain?" he asked, looking around at the crew who still had him at sword point.

"I am," Tora said. "Tora Frost, captain of _The Raven_."

"_You're _a captain?"

"I don't wear this hat to keep my hair from flying in the wind," Tora said. _Though that was an added bonus, _she thought to herself.

"A girl for a captain? That must get a little vexing, eh?" Sparrow said, looking at Nate who narrowed his eyes. Saida let out a snarl and Jack, noticing her for the first time, stumbled back a step.

"Woah! Nice kitty," he said, holding his hands up as the cat circled him.

"Does my gender bother you, Mr. Sparrow?" Tora asked, her green eyes glinting coldly in the light of the rising sun.

"Now don't get your knickers in a twist, love. I've met plenty of girl pirates, and girl captains, too- Anamaria, do you know her? She's a friend of mine. And it's _Captain _Jack Sparrow."

"Well _Captain _Sparrow- what brings you aboard my vessel?"

"Your vessel?" Jack said.

"Yes _my _vessel. We have commandeered her and subdued her crew now _why are you here_?"

"What's in the bag?" he asked curiously, nodding to the bag Tora had slung over her shoulder. The crew fell silent.

"None of your business, Sparrow, quit stalling. What do you want?"

"…Rum," he said finally. "Whatever you can spare- it's dryer than the Sahara desert over there, love. I'm dying."

Tora studied him silently a moment, then glanced to her first mate.

"Nate."

"Yes, Captain?"

"Get Mr. Sparrow a few bottles of rum from the _Resilient_'s stores."

"Yes, Captain," he said and hurried down the stairs.

"Yes, thank you, love, you're a godsend, really. I'll make it up to you, I swear, if you ever need anything- I'll be in Tortuga next week, if you want to-"

"Shut up," Tora said to him and Saida let out a low growl, bearing her teeth at him. Jack let out a nervous sort of chuckle. Tora smirked- even the bravest of men turned to sniveling babies when faced with the 400-pound tiger. Nate came back carrying several bottles of rum and Jack licked his lips desperately as he handed the bottles to Tora. Tora stepped forward and the crew lowered their swords as she handed Jack the rum.

"Now get off my ship," she said.

"You got it, love," he said and hurried back across the ship.

"You should have let me shoot him," Mari said as the _Black Pearl _sailed away. "That'd be a tale to spread around."

"Perhaps," Tora said with a slight smile, then addressed her crew. "Come on you lot, finish up here. And don't forget, Benjamin gets the best weapon aboard, since he spotted the sails. If there's any dispute over it, there'll be lashings."

As her crew went back to work pillaging the ship, Tora and Saida crossed back over to _The Raven_, the bag of books and loot slung over her shoulder. Tora had gotten her pick, the rest would be divided equally amongst the crew, by the code. She had actually been taking less than her share lately. As captain, the code said she was entitled to half the loot and first pick, but lately she had been going aboard just to get the books. She had what she wanted- her ship, her crew, and the wide open sea. Money and gold had ceased to have much value to her and knowledge had gained some value…though of course, she'd never let her crew know that.

As she made her way back to her quarters, she thought about her meeting with Jack Sparrow. She had grown up with the legends of the _Black Pearl_ and of Jack Sparrow. He'd single-handedly robbed Ports around the world; escaped from sea monsters; escaped a marooning by lashing together two sea turtles to make a raft; and slipped from the hangman's noose on numerous occasions. She'd heard he once survived a bullet to the heart.

Jack Sparrow… he had been intriguing. Rude and obnoxious and obviously an alcoholic…but intriguing nonetheless. And that look he'd given her…like he knew what was in the bag or at least knew something about her she wasn't sure she wanted him to know.

Saida gave her a look, like she knew what her friend was thinking.

"What?" Tora asked defensively. "It's been a while since the crew has been to port, they'll appreciate the break."

The tiger huffed and lay on her pillow in the corner.

Tora emptied her bag of loot onto the table and sat down to look through the books. Some were books of maps- newer than the ones she had, so she kept them. The other books all contained drawings of naked women. Disgusted, she tossed those out the port-side window.

"Men," she said, exasperated, and began to look over the maps. There was a knock on her door and Nate came in.

"We've left the _Resilient _and taken off. Where are we headed next, Captain?"

Tora thought about it a moment.

"Set a course for Tortuga," she instructed. "We've earned a break."

"Aye, Captain."


	2. Chapter 2: The Beauty of Tortuga

**Chapter 2- The Beauty of Tortuga**

"Listen up, men- when we make berth in Tortuga, I want you all to remember Rule 11," Tora said, addressing the whole of her crew. It was several days later and the sun was just beginning to set as _The Raven _approached the port of Tortuga.

"And what is Rule 11, Dawlish?" she asked, picking on him because he was staring eagerly towards land. He looked sheepishly towards her.

"Uh…Beautiful women will only want to sleep with us if we've washed?" he said. His shipmates laughed at him and Dawlish grinned.

"More or less," Tora said with a laugh. "I'll send Nate around to collect the crew in a few days. If you're not somewhere he can find you, you will get left behind."

Sometimes some of her crew did stay behind and sometimes she had new people who wanted to join her. Whenever she had newcomers, Tora would get Saida's opinion of them. The tiger had a knack for reading people and if Saida didn't like them, Tora wouldn't let them on the crew. Those who passed Saida's inspection had to swear to the code, on their own blood. Tora's code was not the Code of the Brethren, though there were some similarities.

When _The Raven _docked at Tortuga, the crew hurried off. Tora followed them, leaving Saida on board. She'd found that the tiger was enough to deter unwanted people from boarding her ship. Tora arranged to meet up with her first mate tomorrow evening, then slipped away from her crew.

She roamed the village a while, going in a few taverns and drinking. She talked to a few people she knew, listened to some men telling tall tales at the counter, and stole drinks from those too drunk to notice. After a while, she came across Jack Sparrow. She saw him, but he didn't see her- he was a corner of a tavern, drinking rum and trying to woo a woman wearing a red dress and too much makeup. Tora watched him a moment. She decided not to interrupt, and decided to return to her ship for the night. As she left, she snagged a half-full bottle of rum from a drunk patron who, upon noticing his bottle was missing a few seconds later, immediately socked his friend in the jaw. Jack glanced up from Scarlett's bosom just in time to see a somewhat familiar red ponytail going out the door.

"Sorry, love," Jack said, getting up. "Another time, perhaps- I've just remembered, I didn't tie off my ship."

Then he hurried out of the tavern.

Back in her room, Tora kicked off her shoes and lay on her bed with the bottle of rum and a book called _Moby Dick_, which she was halfway finished with. She'd pilfered it some months ago from a ship making a crossing to Ireland. Tora took a large swig from the bottle and nearly choked on it when there came a scratching sound at her window. She quickly hid the book beneath her pillow, grabbed her pistol, and went to the window. She opened it quickly and aimed her pistol out. She heard a familiar voice let out a surprised "ow" and she peered out, directly into the bearded face of Jack Sparrow.

"Easy, love," he said, coming through the window.

"What? How did you-?" Tora peered out and saw he had a rope which he'd hooked through the rail of the ship. "If that leaves a mark on my ship-! What are you doing here?"

"I saw you at the tavern, thought I owed you a visit."

"Through my window?"

"Well I was going to come aboard, but something stopped me, what was it? Oh yeah, the thousand-pound cat on deck trying to eat me."

"That's Saida and she only weighs 400 pounds. She is there to keep out _unwanted visitors_," Tora said emphatically.

"Some would say you're mad, keeping a wild animal on a ship-"

"She's not-"

"-not me though," he added quickly. "I wouldn't say that. I say you're mad for being aboard your ship after being at sea so long."

"I went ashore," she defended. "I'm just not in the mood for Tortuga tonight. Drunken idiots fighting, shooting guns. It's noisy. And they _smell_."

"That's the beauty of Tortuga," Jack said with a grin. "…If you don't feel like being around all the hustle and bustle, why not go somewhere with me?"

Tora narrowed her eyes at him.

"I didn't mean like that," he said innocently. "Your mind certainly is in the gutter, isn't it?"

"You've got to think like a man if you want to be a good captain," she said. "…What did you have in mind?"

"Follow me and see," he said, walking over to her door and opening it. "Trust me."

"I don't _know _you," Tora said, following him out of the room.

Saida met them on deck, looking confused at first then outraged to see he had gotten past her. When she saw Tora following him off the ship, the tiger started to follow.

"No, Saida," Tora said to her. "Someone has to watch the ship."

The tiger huffed.

"If he tries anything, I can just shoot him," Tora said, touching the pistol tucked into her belt. The tiger turned her back on them and Tora followed Jack, who was shaking his head in disbelief, off of the ship. They walked up the dock, but instead of taking the road that led directly into town, Jack veered off the path and, sticking close to the water, walked into the darkness. Tora glanced once back at her ship and at Saida pacing the deck, then followed him.


	3. Chapter 3: A Bit o' History

**Chapter 3- A Bit o' History**

They walked for a long while by the light of the moon, until they could no longer hear the noise of the town which meant that, if she screamed, no one would hear her. Tora fingered the handle of her pistol. When they finally stopped, Jack began to gather wood. When she saw what he was doing she helped until they had a large pile of wood, which Jack lit.

"Nothing better than a bonfire on the beach," he said. "And a bottle of rum."

He pulled two bottles from inside his shirt and handed her one. She took the bottle, which was damp, from sweat or sea water she wasn't sure. She grimaced and uncorked the bottle.

"Cheers, love," he said and toasted her. She drank deeply from the bottle- it smelled like dirt and saltwater. It was good rum, though, and she sighed contentedly.

"Why did you bring me out here, Jack?" Tora asked after a while.

"I thought maybe we got off on the wrong foot."

"Is that all?"

"Well that and you're very peculiar," he said. "and yet, you seem…familiar, somehow."

"If we had met before you boarded the _Resilient, _you would know it. I am not easy to forget."

"Yeah, the giant tiger does leave an impression," he said with a chuckle.

"Saida has brought more than a few of the bravest men to tears… You'd be surprised how many ship's captains fail to retain control of their bladder when faced with her."

"She is quite fierce," he said, grinning. "Saida…that's Arabic, isn't it?"

"Yes," Tora said, somewhat impressed but trying not to show it. "It means 'huntress'."

"Did you read that in a book?" he asked.

Tora froze a moment, but recovered quickly.

"I've sailed the world and been to many places," she said, avoiding the question. "My crew and I have sailed in Arabic waters many times."

They drank in silence for some time, looking out over the water or into the fire, getting drunker and drunker.

"Why did you become a pirate?" Jack asked after a while, slurring his words just a little.

"Why does any person become a pirate?"

"But you're…very pretty. And well-educated."

"What makes you say that?" she asked, glad that it was dark and he could not see her blush slightly when he called her pretty.

"Well, you have beautiful skin and your lips…plus you have pretty amazing-"

"I meant the 'well-educated' part, Jack Sparrow," she said, punching him in the arm, but not too hard.

"Oh. Well, your way of speaking. And the fact that you're captain. Takes a pretty bright girl to steer a ship. And your crew seem faithful enough- you've obviously figured something out," he said, then took a deep swig from his bottle.

Tora sighed, looking out at the moonlight sparkling on the waves.

"Sometimes I wonder if it is just because they are scared of Saida," she admitted.

He was silent a moment.

"I don't think so," he said. "I think it's something about you."

She raised an eyebrow at him.

"I mean," he said. "They could always shoot the tiger."

She scowled at him, but agreed. "I guess you're right."

"Of course I am," he said narcissistically. "I'm Captain Jack Sparrow."

She laughed at him.

"You didn't answer my question," he said to her.

"What was that?" she asked, struggling to remember through her rum-addled brain.

"Why did you become a pirate?"

"Oh. …My father was a pirate. My mom lived in England, but every summer he would take me to sea with him."

"The sea is no place for a kid," Jack said, shaking his head.

"Oh but I loved it! If I hadn't, mother wouldn't have let me go. I don't think she knew he was a pirate…but how could she not have?"

"He must have been captain, your father."

"No, his brother, Uncle Mutt, was captain."

"That explains it. Most captains won't let children aboard, especially girl-children. They say it's bad luck to have a woman aboard."

"Then why am I one of the most-feared pirates on this side of the equator?" she demanded, pointing a finger in his face. She really hated the saying that women aboard were bad luck.

"I said _they _said that. I don't say that. Personally, I love a woman's company aboard a ship," he said, grinning like an ass.

"Jack Sparrow," she said, unable to help giggling. "…Who is _they_?"

His face took on a very serious, contemplative look.

"_Them_," he said mysteriously.

Tora couldn't help it- she collapsed onto the sand, giggling until she was breathless. She took a deep swig of rum and looked up at the stars, deep in thought.

"Mother died when I was 14," she continued after a while. "Then I stayed with Dad full time on the ship. I saved up my part of the spoils- a smaller portion than what every man on the crew got, but I knew better than to complain. Eventually I saved enough to commandeer my own ship- _The Raven_, formerly known as _Goliath_. Most of my uncle's crew were glad to see the back of me and Saida."

"Wait, your ship is _that _ship. _Goliath_? I remember when they built her, they said she was unsinkable."

"Hasn't sank yet," Tora replied with a smile.

"…Where did Saida come from?" Jack asked curiously.

"That's an interesting tale in itself. I was probably about 17 and living full time on my uncle's ship when we overtook a ship one day that was coming from India. While we were going through the ship, I found they had a bunch of horses, Arabians, I think. In one of the stalls at the end, however, there was a tiger. She was a baby then, about three months old. I could still carry her around back then," Tora said fondly. "My uncle wasn't too thrilled at first, but she soon proved a very effective way of making sure the crew didn't come in my room… I was a developing young lady, after all."

She smiled wickedly and took another drink. Jack was propped up on one elbow, watching her. They were close enough to touch without stretching. She said nothing for a while, just looked up at the stars. The moonlight reflected in her emerald eyes and the light of the flames danced around her face.

"I was going to say 'beautiful _eyes_' earlier, by the way," Jack said. Tora glanced at him and grinned.

"No you weren't," she said.

"No," he admitted, also grinning. "I wasn't. But you do."

"Do what?" she asked, meeting his black eyes.

"You have beautiful eyes," he murmured quietly then, slowly, he leaned his head down and kissed her.

Tora was surprised, but she didn't pull away. It wasn't as bad as she had expected- he tasted strongly of rum and he smelled like dirt and saltwater, but it was actually sort of nice. The kiss ended but he didn't push any further. He collapsed back onto the sand and sighed. He went to take a drink of rum.

"Hm. Bloody empty," he grunted and tossed the bottle towards the ocean. He glanced slyly at her, then lifted the bottle from Tora's hand before she could react and took a drink.

"Hey!" she protested lightly.

"Well it _is _my rum."

"The way I see it, you still owe me a bottle or two," she said.

"Do I? I do. I'll just scurry on back to the _Pearl _and-" he stood up as he was speaking, but the world swirled around him and he fell back onto the sand. "-or not. Tomorrow maybe."

Tora laughed and wiggled closer to him as Jack drank the last of her rum and fell asleep with the bottle in his hand.


	4. Chapter 4: Secrets

**Chapter 4**

When Jack awoke the next morning he had an empty bottle of rum in one hand, his other hand wrapped around a woman, and a terrible headache. Not an unusual way to start the morning if you were Jack Sparrow. He lifted his head off the sand with a slight groan and looked at the woman next to him. It was Tora- she had his coat covering her. He grinned despite his headache as he remembered the night they had spent together.

Tora opened her eyes to see Jack grinning at her. She scrambled up, but stopped when a blinding flash of pain cut through her head.

"Ugh," she said, gripping her head and collapsing back onto the sand.

"Morning, love," Jack said, still grinning.

"I feel like I'm gonna puke."

"That's how I start most days," he said. "It'll pass."

"Not without coffee it won't. Will you take me back to my ship?"

Jack got to his feet slowly and helped Tora up. She kept his jacket draped across her shoulders. He didn't seem to mind.

As they made their way back to the dock, Tora noticed it was no longer noisy in the town. She'd never seen Tortuga in the morning- most people were still asleep. She _wished _she were still asleep, normally she would be. She yawned and squinted in the bright sunlight. She stole Jack's hat swiftly and pulled it down over her eyes, having left her own hat in her room the night before. He didn't protest, but slid her a grin.

Saida growled at them as they boarded _The Raven. _Tora took off Jack's hat so the big cat would recognize her. Saida's growl turned to a purr as she approached her. Tora stopped a moment to hug the cat and scratch her head while Jack watched, fascinated.

Tora boiled the coffee and poured two cups, then she and Jack retired to her room to drink. She sat at her desk and he sat on the edge of her bed. Jack sipped the brew and coughed.

"What _is _this?" he asked, making a face.

"Coffee," she replied.

"From _where_?"

Tora thought a moment.

"China, I think," she replied.

"Blech," he said.

He spotted her bottle of rum from the tavern the night before and poured a generous amount into his coffee. He took a sip.

"Much better," he sighed. Tora started to laugh, but laughing made her head hurt, so she just smiled. They drank coffee in silence for a while, both thinking about the night they had spent together.

"Hey, wait- get off of my bed. You're covered in sand," Tora said, getting up to pull him off the bed.

"You weren't complaining last night," Jack said, grinning as she tugged on his arm. With one swift movement, he pushed her back onto the bed and kissed her. He ran his hands down her body, making her shiver in delight. He slipped his hands under her shirt and, after enjoying it for a moment, she stopped him.

"No," she said.

"What, why not?" he asked.

"Because," she said, squirming beneath him. "I'm not so easy as that, Mr. Sparrow."

He blew out a sigh and rolled off of her.

"Okay," he said. "…and it's _Captain. Captain _Jack Sparrow."

"Very well, Captain Sparrow," she said, getting up. "…Get off my bed, you're getting sand everywhere."

Jack got up and looked down at the bed, which was covered with sand. Tora put a hand on her hip and looked at him.

"Pfft. I can take care of that," Jack said. He picked up her pillow and shook the sand off, revealing the book she had hidden there the night before. Tora's eyes widened and she tried to grab the book, but Jack snagged it first.

"Well well well," he said. "what have we here?"

"Shut up, Jack, give it here."

He held it high out of her reach and she jumped, trying to reach it.

"Give it to me, Jack," she said. "Give it to me."

"That's not what you were saying a moment ago," he taunted.

Tora stopped reaching for the book, wiggled her butt, and pounced on Jack, putting her weight on his chest and forcing him back on the bed. She wedged her knee between his legs and applied pressure. He let out a gasp.

"Give me that book, Jack Sparrow," she said threateningly. She could feel him getting aroused, despite the painful position he was in. _Men, _she thought, smiling.

"Alright," he said, wincing but laughing at the same time. "Here."

Tora took the book, pressing a little harder as she leant forward and kissed him swiftly. Then she got up, hiding the book in her trunk, underneath her clothes.

"That wasn't very nice," Jack said, groaning as he got up.

"You know you liked it," she said, grinning at him.

"That's not your only book, is it? That's what was in the bag."

Tora didn't say anything, but sat at the table and picked up her coffee, which had gone cold.

"It's nothing to be ashamed of, love," Jack said, sitting down across from her. "Why hide it?"

"I don't want my crew to think any less of me. Robbing ships for books instead of treasure."

"Not all treasure is silver and gold, love," he said.

Tora didn't say anything. Jack sat there, watching her as she sipped the cold coffee.

"Do you want to go somewhere with me?" he asked.

"Again?" she said, smiling.

"Different place this time. Better," he replied.

"We'll see. Why don't you come back later? I've got to spend some time with Saida, she hates being left out."

"By all means," he said. "Gotta keep the tiger happy."

Tora followed Jack onto the deck and saw him off the ship. Saida stood beside her as she watched Jack leave. When he was gone, Tora sat down on the deck of the ship. Saida wound herself around her, rubbing against her. Tora ran her fingers through the tiger's fur and Saida began to purred.

"So what do you think of him?" Tora asked the tiger quietly. Saida looked towards the town and growled quietly.

"That's what I thought," Tora said with a laugh. "I think I like him, though."

**Author's Note: **Y'all don't forget to read and review! Thanks!

~LilReporterGirl


	5. Chapter 5: Priorities

**Chapter 5**

Jack came back to _The Raven _that afternoon. The tiger was stretched out on deck, but this time she didn't growl at him or try to keep him from boarding. She watched him carefully, her amber eyes flashing in the sun, as he made his way to Tora's quarters. Jack knocked on the door.

"Just a minute," Tora called through the door. Jack leaned against the wall to wait for her.

Inside her room, Tora was brushing her hair in front of the looking glass. She had bathed and changed out of her pants and shirt and into a dress. It wasn't a big puffy dress with a lot of layers like most women wore. It was a simple dress, no corset, and easy to move around in. It was green in color, almost the exact color of her eyes. She'd stolen it from a ship off the coast of Ireland several years ago and it was one of her favorites. Before leaving her room, Tora grabbed a bar of soap and stowed it in her bag. If anything _did _happen with Jack, he was going to have to bathe first!

When Tora opened the door to her room, Jack was speechless. He looked her over, from head to toe, and Tora flashed him a smile.

"I didn't know you wore dresses," he said.

"Every girl owns at least one dress," she replied.

"Well you look…gorgeous," he said.

"Put your tongue back in your mouth, Jack. Where are we going?"

"Oh, you'll see," he said, smiling. "Come on."

Tora followed Jack off the ship, saying goodbye to Saida as she did. Jack gestured to a small rowboat tied to the dock. There were several bottles of rum in the bottom of the boat, more than either of them could drink.

"After you, love," he said. Tora climbed in, then Jack untied the boat and climbed in after her. He took up the oars and began to row them away from the dock.

After they had been rowing for some time and the sun was starting to sink, Tora couldn't contain her curiosity any longer.

"Where are we going, Jack?" she asked.

"Round to the north side of the island."

"There's nothing _on _the north side of the island."

"Nothing that anybody knows about," he said with a wink.

"Where did you get this boat, anyway?"

"Off the _Pearl_."

"Oh. You know, it would have been much more fearsome and sexy if you had said you stole it."

"Well, I could have been lying about it coming off the _Black Pearl_," he replied, smirking.

When Jack finally rowed the boat up onto the rocky shore, the sky had turned that orangey-reddish color it turns right before the sun goes down.

"Sit tight," Jack said, hopping out of the boat and wadding to shore, pulling the boat behind him. He pulled it all the way up onto the sand before allowing her to get out.

"It's going to get dark soon," Tora pointed out. "Hope this secret place of yours isn't too far."

"It's not," he replied. "Don't you worry, love."

They made their way over rocky terrain, Jack leading the way. He had to reach out several times (biting back a laugh) to steady Tora as she stumbled. Finally she could hear the sound of flowing water and when they crossed over the next ridge, she saw it- a waterfall, flowing into a lagoon.

"Wow," she said breathlessly.

"It gets even better. Follow me," Jack said.

Tora followed him down off the ridge to edge of the pond. There he stopped, picked up a rather large rock, and hurled it into the water. The spot where the rock hit in the water began to glow, then the glow spread out, until the whole pond was glowing a fluorescent color.

"Jack…this is amazing. Why-?"

"Algae. It glows like that when it's disturbed at night. Come on," he said, stripping off his clothes.

"I'm not swimming in that! It looks toxic."

"It's fine. I've been swimming in it almost my whole life and look at me," he said, grinning.

"Not a very convincing argument, Jack," she teased.

"Pirates are supposed to be fearless and you're scared of a little pond scum?" he taunted. "Some pirate."

"Hmph," Tora said, narrowing her eyes at him. "I'll show you scared!"

With that, she pulled of her dress, kicked off her shoes, and dove into the glowing water. Jack, grinning, shed the rest of his clothes and jumped in after her.

Tora floated underwater a moment. Resisting the urge to squirm at the thought of bacteria in her eyeballs, she opened her eyes and looked around her. The bottom of the lake was covered in the glowing algae. Unable to hold her breath very long, she surfaced.

"It's beautiful," she said to Jack, who was swimming beside her. It took her a moment to process that they were both completely naked.

"Wait, you didn't open your eyes underwater, did you?" he asked, suddenly serious.

"What? You said it was harmless!" Tora exclaimed, alarmed.

"No, it'll blind you if it gets in your eyes," Jack said, struggling to keep a straight face. When she looked utterly terrified and began to frantically rub her eyes, he began to laugh.

"Only joking, love," he said. "You're fine."

Tora stopped rubbing her eyes and glared at him.

"You are a complete _ass_," she said.

"Sticks and stones, love," he replied, grinning.

"You're going to pay for that, Jack Sparrow!" she growled and splashed him vigorously.

"Hey, cut that out," he said, trying to block her splash. He made a grab for her and Tora darted quickly out of his grasp. She swam a distance away from him, turned, and splashed him again, grinning teasingly. He splashed her back, then took a deep breath and disappeared under the water. He moved quick as a fish under the water and Tora didn't have time to react before he grabbed her, pulling her under. Tora opened her eyes when the bubbles cleared to see Jack's face inches from her own, his eyes also open. He pulled her closer and when she didn't resist, he kissed her. Tora lost herself in the moment and completely forgot about breathing. When Jack finally broke the kiss, they both pushed to the surface desperately. Tora gasped loudly trying to catch her breath, feeling lightheaded.

"Yeah, that's how most women react when I kiss them," Jack said, grinning broadly, water dripping from his hair.

"That was…lack of oxygen…" Tora said, still trying to catch her breath. She gave him a shove and he caught her in his arms again and kissed her, this time above water. She put her arms around his neck and buried her fingers in his thick, wet hair as he kissed her.

This time, Tora was the one to finally break this kiss.

"Wait right here," she said, swimming away from him. He watched her swim to the edge of the water and climb out, admiring her bare body. He subconsciously licked his lips. He noticed, for the first time, that she had tattoos on her back- two large black wings, erupting from each shoulder blade.

Tora grinned, knowing Jack was watching, as she found her dress, shoes and bag. She bent over and got something out of her bag, then rushed back into the water. She swam back over to Jack and held something out to him.

"What's this?" he asked, taking it.

"Soap," she said emphatically.

"Not on your life!" he said, handing it back to her.

"It's part of the code."

"What code? Not _the _code."

"No, _my _code. You can ask my crew- no decent woman wants to be with a man who smells like the inside of an old leather shoe."

"That's ridiculous," he said, exasperated. "I've been with plenty of women."

"_Decent _women, not whores," she said and when Jack rolled his eyes, she tossed the bar of soap at him.

"You don't take that and you don't get this," she said, backing away from him. He looked her over, a pained look on his face.

"_Women_…Fine," he grumbled, taking the soap resignedly. Then he perked up a little and grinned. "You know, it's been so long…I'm not sure I remember how to do this. I might need a little help."


	6. Chapter 6: The Full Effect

Chapter 6

Tora scrubbed layers and layers of grime off of Jack's skin, starting at his head and working her way down. He wouldn't let her touch his hair and he grumbled and whined until she reached his waist. He was already hard when she soaped up her hands and began to stoke his member.

"I think I'm clean now," he said roughly, pulling her to him and kissing her. He ran his hands over her slick, wet body, grasped her butt and pulled her even closer so that there was no space between them. Her bare breasts pressed against his chest and he could feel her breath catch.

"Okay," she agreed, letting the soap fall away and drift down into the water.

He grinned like a cat and started to wedge his knee between hers.

"Not here," she said, squirming. "On shore, please."

"Why? Scared?" he taunted. "It has been known to frighten some women."

"Not of you, of the algae," she said, rolling her eyes. "And I'm not scared, I'm wary."

"Alright then, 'wary'," he said amusedly, propelling them back towards shore. "And you should be scared. It's quite magnificent."

"Eh," she said with a shrug, knowing it would annoy him.

"What do you mean 'eh'?" he demanded. "Ah, you're playing with me, aren't you, little wench?"

He kissed her roughly as he pushed her out of the water onto dry land. He skooched her up so they weren't close to the water, all the while kissing and fondling her.

"You know I couldn't see it real well in the water, maybe you should show me again?" she whispered, shuddering with delight as he trailed kisses down to her breasts.

"I think you'll have to feel it to get the full effect," he said. His breath was warm, contrasting the cool night air and raising goosebumps along her skin.

"Sounds good to me," she said and let out a gasp as Jack entered her, without waiting for further instruction.

He filled every inch of her completely and was still only about halfway in.

"Oh my God, you're a beast!" she exclaimed. He chuckled.

"This is just the beginning, love."

Several hours later, they lay exhausted together at the edge of the pond. Tora had her feet trailing in the water. It had been amazing and they'd had just enough energy left to rinse off before dragging themselves back to shore. They lay there for a while, Jack trailing kisses along her neck, more than her exhausted body could bear. When he had regained a little energy, he got up and started to build a fire. Tora just watched from her spot by the water. Eventually she got up and walked over to where their clothes were. She slipped her dress over her head and put Jack's hat on her head. He looked over at her and grinned.

"That is unbelievably… sexy," he said, coming over to her and kissing her.

"Why thank you," she said, also grinning. She slipped away from him and went to sit beside the fire. A few minutes later, he sat beside her, dressed and carrying two bottles of rum.

"So I take it we aren't going back to my ship tonight?" she asked, taking a bottle from him.

"You could…later…after we drink a bit," he said.

"You brought enough rum to kill a horse. You'll be passed out in the sand before sunrise."

"You know me so well," he said with a smirk and raised his bottle in toast. She clinked her bottle to his and took a swig.

"So…you've heard my story. What's yours? Why did you become a pirate, Jack Sparrow?"

"Family tradition," he said lightly.

"What? Is that all you're going to tell me?"

"That's all there is to it…unless you believe the stories, that is," he said mysteriously.

"What stories?" she snorted.

"Some say that I am the by-product of the devil himself getting friendly with a mermaid in the middle of the worst typhoon the world's ever seen."

"Nobody says that!" she said, unable to keep from laughing.

"Some people might," he said.

"Who?"

"People," he replied. "Besides, at least part of that is true…"

"You're the son of the devil?" she teased.

"I was born during a typhoon."

"Hm," she said, uncertain whether or not she believed him. "…What about the Pearl? How did you get the Black Pearl?"

"What have you heard?"

"Rumors that you struck up a deal with the Devil to have her pulled from the depths after you sunk her from her rightful captain."

"Not exactly. I struck a bargain with a man worse than the Devil…Davy Jones. If anyone is the son of the devil, it's him," he said, taking a deep drink of his rum and shuddering. "He's all…tentacle-y."

He made a tentacle-motion at his chin with his hand and Tora laughed. He didn't, however.

"I'm serious," he said. "And I didn't sink her from her rightful captain. The sinking of the Wicked Wench had almost nothing to do with me."

"Almost nothing?" she asked, laughing.

"I'm restricted from saying anything further on the matter," he said cagily, finishing his bottle of rum and getting another.

"Okay then… How old were you when you captain'd your first ship?" she asked.

"Fourteen- wait, that's not a euphemism, is it?" he asked, frowning. "Cuz if it is, then the answer is thirteen."

"No, it's not a euphemism and- thirteen, really?"

"I was an early bloomer. And I lived on a ship with a bunch of pirates. They took me to a brothel and-"

"You paid for it?" she asked, grinning. Jack stopped talking and looked at the bottle in his hand.

"Did I say that? I didn't say that. You said that," he said, poking the bottle. He took another swig anyway and lay back in the dirt. Tora laughed and lay down with her head on his chest.

"You know, Jack, I'm not sure if I believe half of the things you say," she said.

"That's alright, half the time I don't either," he said, his voice thick with rum.


	7. Chapter 7: The Code

Chapter 7

The next morning they awoke together in the sand, hungover.

"We have to stop sleeping like this," Tora said with a slight groan as she got up. "I happen to like my bed."

"I happen to like waking up with you on the ground," he replied, grinning.

"How about waking up with me in a bed?"

"I dunno, love, might take some of the fun out of it," he said with a wink. He kissed her and she let him for a minute before pushing him away.

"Take me back to my ship, please. I need coffee," she said.

"I think you might be addicted," he replied and she punched him on the arm. "Ow!"

The trip back to the port took twice as long as the trip to Jack's secret place, or so it seemed to Tora. When they were approaching The Raven, Tora spotted the outline of a man leaning against the railing. She wasn't worried. There was only one person who Saida would allow on the boat in her absence.

The figure had disappeared by the time they reached the dock, however. When Jack had tied off the little rowboat, they got out and started towards her ship. She soon saw that Nate was standing on the dock, talking to a man she didn't recognize.

"Nate," she greeted as they approached. Nate looked at her, his eyes lingering on the dress and smirking ever-so-slightly.

"Captain," he responded with a quick nod. The other man's eyes got wide as he looked at Tora, then at Jack.

"Gibbs," Jack said.

"Mother's love, Jack - you're clean!"

Nate smiled at the ground, trying not to laugh.

"Aye," Jack said gloomily. "It's in the code."

"What code? Not the pirate's code!" Gibbs exclaimed. "…I don't think I've ever seen ye so clean, Jack. Like a baby's bottom."

He reached out to touch Jack's face and Jack slapped his hand away.

"That would be my code, Mr. Gibbs," Tora said, extending her hand. "Captain Tora Frost."

Gibbs shook her hand in a sort-of stunned way.

"A girl Captain?" he said aloud.

"Is that a problem?" she asked, narrowing her eyes.

"No," Jack said, glaring pointedly at Gibbs. "It's not."

"It's not," Gibbs agreed. "Just caught me a bit unawares."

"Would you like to come aboard my ship, Mr. Gibbs?"

"I was just admiring her," he said with a nod.

Tora led the three men aboard. Gibbs let out a whistle as he looked around. Saida came out of the shadows to examine the newcomer and Gibbs just about wet his pants.

"Holy mother of pearl!" he exclaimed, jumping back.

Tora laughed as she scratched the big cat's ears and knelt to kiss the tip of her head.

"What is that?" Gibbs asked in awe.

"This is Saida. She's a Siberian tiger. She helps guard my ship," Tora explained.

"I'll bet," he said, standing stock-still while the tiger sniffed his boots and studied him scrutinously. She eventually lost interest. She walked past Jack with a low, half-hearted growl, then sat at Tora's side.

"Do you want to see my code?" Tora asked, leading them over to a wall where a plank of wood was nailed. Carved in the wood was the following:

**Code of the Crew following under the Captain Tora Frost:**

**Anyone who wishes to sail under the captain will submit to inspection.**

**Those who pass the inspection will swear their loyalty to the captain by their own blood.**

**No one will enter the Captain's cabin without permission.**

**Whoever first spots the sails of a target ship, gets the best weapon aboard.**

**The Captain gets half the loot and first pick. The First Mate will receive two shares and will have the charge of delegating the remainder of the loot equally amongst the crew.**

**Anyone that should have the misfortune to lose a limb in time of Engagement, shall have the sum of 600 pieces of Eight, and remain aboard as long as he shall think fit.**

**Anyone who consents to sail under the captain will agree to wash every time the ship makes port.**

**In absence of the Captain, the crew will report to the first-mate.**

**Every man has a vote in affairs of moment; has equal title to the fresh provisions, or strong liquors, at any time seized, and may use them at their leisure, unless a scarcity makes it necessary to vote a retrenchment.**

**Everyone aboard must keep their piece, pistols, and cutlass clean and fit for service.**

**Any quarrels amongst the crew are to be ended on shore, at sword and pistol.**

**If any Man shall offer to run away, or keep any Secret from the Company, he shall be marooned with one Bottle of Powder, one Bottle of Water, one small Arm, and Shot.**

**If at any time you meet with a prudent Woman, that Man that offers to meddle with her, without her Consent, shall suffer present Death in the most gruesome way the Captain shall choose.**

**Punishment for any violation of the code will be decided by the Captain.**

Underneath the code were the names of the crew, written in blood. Some were scratched out, having left the crew for some reason or other. In the center of all the names at the bottom was Saida's paw print. Tora's name was also written in blood, at the top. Jack and Gibbs were both reading it with thoughtful looks on their faces.

"I could live with it," Gibbs said. "If not for the washing part."

"No woman wants to be with a man who smells like a pig's asshole," Nate said reasoningly.

"Fair enough," Gibbs said with a slight nod.

"Were you looking for me for any reason in particular, Nate?" Tora asked him.

"Oh right. A few of the crew were wondering when you were planning to leave, Captain?" he asked.

"Hm…I haven't decided yet. Perhaps Saturday. Surely they aren't complaining about leave?"

"No, ma'am, just curious," he said, inclining his head. "I'll let them know."

Nate left the ship, leaving the three of them standing there. Gibbs was looking absently about, admiring the Raven. Jack cleared his throat and Gibbs started.

"Hm? Oh…Oh, I'll just be…going," he said quickly and left the ship. Tora smiled at Jack and went below deck to fetch some coffee. When she returned, Jack was doing something to her code. She walked over and saw that he had cut his finger with a blade and had drawn a wonky heart beneath her name.

"What'd you go and do that for?" she asked, scowling.

"I was just leaving my mark on you."

"What makes you think I want your mark on me," she said haughtily.

"You wanted my mark last night," he said, grinning.

"Wanting sex and wanting you claiming me is not the same thing," she said.

"I don't know how I feel about that," he said, frowning. "Feels like you're using me. That's backwards. …I think I like it."

"Get rid of that," Tora said, gesturing towards the heart. "I don't want a heart under my name where everyone can see. It makes me look weak."

"Fine," he said. He spit on his thumb and rubbed at the bloody heart until it was a shapeless smear.

"There," he said.

"Now I just have a random shapeless blob under my name," she said, half-smiling.

"An endless black pit, sucking in everything around you," he said. "Very fearsome."

Her smile morphed into a real one and she laughed.

"There's a touch of the poet in you, Captain Sparrow."

He was silent a moment.

"You're trying to find a way to make a sex joke out of that, aren't you?" she said.

"Uh…no, not at all," he said, obviously lying. He walked to the other side of the boat. He leaned over the rail, looking out at the sea.

"I'd love to go out on the water with you," he said.

"Well then let's go out on the Pearl."

"Can't do that, love. The Pearl is a large and magnificent vessel. It requires a number of strong men to…man it," he replied.

"Well…I suppose I could take you out. On my ship."

"What?"

"Yes. It only takes two bodies to man The Raven. And besides, you've taken me two places. Now it's my turn. Think you can handle taking orders from a woman?"

"On this ship, you are the captain," he said, taking his hat off and putting it on her head.

"Alright… On your feet, you blackguard! Untie us from the dock and prepare the top sails."

"Aye, Captain," he said with a smirk.


	8. Chapter 8: The End

Chapter 8

Out on the open ocean, Tora felt carefree. She stood at the helm, the wind whipping her hair around her shoulders. Saida sat at the prow, watching the horizon. Tora took a deep breath of fresh sea air and sighed. She heard Jack swing down from the rigging and land behind her, but she didn't turn around.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" he said, coming up behind her and putting his arms around her waist.

"Mm," she agreed. He turned her around and kissed her, making her let go of the wheel. He pressed her back against the helm, grinding into her.

"Jack, we're barely out of the bay," she said, smiling.

"We're miles from shore, no one will notice," he said, kissing her neck.

"Jack, the anchor-"

He pulled her dress down and kissed her collarbone, her exposed chest, silencing her. Tora let out a little gasp as he nibbled her skin gently. She heard Saida huff and glanced up to see the tiger stalking off to the rear of the ship. Jack chuckled and lay her down on the deck of the ship, and continued to kiss her.

"I like this wood," he said suddenly, knocking on the deck. "Double reinforced?"

"Triple," she gasped. "Shut up and kiss me."

She gripped his head and pulled him to her. He laughed as he kissed her, running his hands over her body. He pushed her dress up around her waist and touched her, making her moan. Finding her quite wet, he pushed himself inside of her.

"Jack," she hissed, digging her nails into his back. "God!"

"Not quite," he said, kissing her neck again. He sucked at her throat as he thrust into her, drawing ragged gasp after ragged gasp. She was soon soaked in sweat under the hot Caribbean sun and they rolled around the deck, playing for dominance. Finally he pinned her back down, holding her hands above her head, and thrust wildly until they both came, Tora crying out loudly.

Jack rolled off of her and collapsed, breathing heavily, onto the deck beside her.

"Wow," he said. "Wow…"

Tora laughed and got to her feet, still flushed. She fixed her dress and stood at the helm.

"We've drifted off course," she said, playfully nudging him with her foot.

"I believe it was worth it," he said once he caught his breath. She didn't argue with him.

"I could go for a swim now, to cool off. Why don't you drop anchor this time, so the ship doesn't sail away while we're in the water?"

"Excellent idea, love," he said, standing up to carry out her order. "That's the reason you're captain."

"You're teasing me, aren't you?"

"Only a little," he said playfully. "Last one in is a rotten egg."

He kicked off his boots and dove off the ship into the water. She watched him disappear with a plop, then kicked off her own shoes and removed her weapons. She lay Jack's hat down with her things, then followed him into the water.

For the next two days, they spent nearly every moment together - drinking rum, making love, playing with each other. When Saturday came, they awoke in her room on The Raven. Neither of them said anything as they got dressed. Jack was silent while Tora sipped her morning coffee, sitting at the little table in her room. Finally, when she was almost finished with the cup, he spoke.

"So, what happens now?" he asked finally.

"We go back to our lives. Everything goes back to normal."

"…It doesn't have to."

"What do you mean?"

"We could team up. It's not unheard of, pirates sailing together, sharing the loot."

"Oh and I suppose you would be in charge of our little fleet?"

"Naturally, with me being the more experienced one-"

Tora shook her head before he was even finished, smiling ruefully.

"It was fun, Jack, but it'll never last. Maybe we can meet up again some time…"

"Sure," he said somewhat heavily. "The next time I'm in Tortuga. Next month, maybe."

"Maybe we can go somewhere other than Tortuga. We could go to Singapore."

"Singapore?" he said, perking up. "I love Singapore…"

"We'll plan on it then. Next month."

"Next month," he agreed.

A few hours after that, Tora and her crew set sail from Tortuga. Jack stood on the deck of his ship, trying not to watch her sails disappear into the horizon. Later that afternoon, after Jack was good and drunk, The Black Pearl sailed out of the harbor. The two did meet up in Singapore the next month and for many months after that. And every now and again, when Tora was at the helm, she'd glance over at her copy of the code and smile at the black mark Jack had made beneath her name.

THE END

**Author's Note: **Okay, I know it was a rather abrupt ending, but I couldn't think of a better way to end it and at the rate it was going, it was never going to get finished. Anyway, thanks for reading and I hope you all enjoyed it. Don't forget to review!


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